Improvement in automatic latches



E. VOIGT.

AUTOMATIC LATCH. No. 100,220, Patented Feb-22,1870.

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Letters Patent No. 100,220, dated February 22, 1870.

IMPROVEMEN'I' IN AUTOMATIC LATCHES.

.3: Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the Barns I, EDWARD VOIGT. of Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvamia, have invented an Improved Door-Retainer, of which the following is a specification.

Nut-titre and Object of the Invention.

of the retainer, but such that, it cannotbe witlnlrawn.

from the latter without exerting a sutficient effort to raise and turn the said spring-lever or arm, which is struck by the tongue on the door.

Description of the Accompanying Drawing.

Figures 1, 2, and 3 are perspective views in di'fi'ercnt positions of my improved door-retainer; Figure 4, a sectional view of the same; and

.Fignre 5', a plan view, partly in section.

General Description.

A represents part of a door-frame, and B part of a door, the retaining device consisting of .1. lug or tongue, 0, which is secured to the top of the door,

close to its outer edge, and of a plate, F, secured to the door-ti-ame directly over this lug or tongue, when the door is closed.

flhe plate F has two' projectingmrms, a and a, which support ahorizontal pin, b,-and to this pin are loosely hung a lever, G, and an operating-arm, H, arranged to be struck and turned by the tongue O of the door, as hereafter described.

The arm- H, as will be best observed in fig. 4, has an inclined edge, (I, a straight edge, (1', and an abrupt shouldcr,e, upon which rests the bent cnd f of the lever G. The latter is secured to or forms part of a stem, 1', which turns loosely on the pin 1), and upon which is wound a spiral spring, j. -One endof this spring rests upon the. stationary arm a, and its opposite extremity bears against and raises the bent end f of the lever G, but the spring is prevented from throwing the said lever beyond a horizontal position, by a projection or lug, I, on the plate F.

In closing the door in the direction of the arrow, figs. l and 2, the. tongue (3 will strike the inclined edge (I of the arm H, and will turn and pass to the rear of the same, and will then fall by its own weight to its original position, fig. 4, so as to retain the tongue between its edge (l' and the (hair-frame.

When the door is opened the tongue 0 will again strike the arm H, and will turn it in the opposite direction, as indicated by the arrow, tigs. 3 and 4.

In this movennt-nt, however, the arm will not tux loosely and imlepeinlently upon the pin 1), as in closing the door, but will raise the overlapping cud f of the spring-lever G, and cause the latter t) also turn, so thata slight. elfort. must be exerted before the door can be opened.

When the tongue has raised the arm H, and has passed beneath the same, the spring j will cause the lever G and the said arm to return immediately to their original positions.

It will now he understood without further description, that while the retaining device offers no'resistance to the free closing of the door, the latter, when closed, cannot be withdrawn from the control of the said retainer without exerting a sufiicient etlbrt to overcome the power of the spring j. This will cli'ect-ually prevent the opening of the door by the wind,

or the slamming, or creaking of the same uponits hinges. I

It will also be evident that my invention is as applicable for retaining doors in contact with the adjacent wall when opened to their full extent as for retaiuing them when closed,'as'above described.

Claims.

I 1, 'An arm, H, vibrating freely to a limited extent; in combination with a spring, so arranged that when the said arm turns in one direction and beyond a given point, it will resist the motion of the same, when the said spring and arm are arranged on a trame, substantially as described.

2.."Thc combination of the arm H, a lever, G, vibrating adjacent to the arm, and projecting over the latter, a spring, j, bearing on the lever, aml a lug, I, limiting the movement of the lever, substantially as described. i

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in, the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDWARD VOI GT. Witnesses:

J ous WHITE, HARRY SMITH. 

